‘Distinguished Warfare Medal’

by Patrick O'Brien

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The Medal of Valour Cowardice:

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From the Only-in-America file is this week’s announcement the Pentagon has created a medal for drone pilots involved in their remote-controlled murder programme. Defense Officials say the medal will be awarded for “exceptional acts” — which gives new meaning to the phrase American “exceptionalism”.

Columnist Glenn Greenwald puts it like this . . .

“Whatever one thinks of the justifiability of drone attacks, it’s one of the least “brave” or courageous modes of warfare ever invented. It’s one thing to call it just, but to pretend it’s “brave” is Orwellian in the extreme. Indeed, the whole point of it is to allow large numbers of human beings to be killed without the slightest physical risk to those doing the killing. Killing while sheltering yourself from all risk is the definitional opposite of bravery.”

Here’s a selection of related Links, references, articles, plus the formal announcement, which I’ve posted to my Wall at Google-Plus: